I Was Just Thinking About - SANCTUARIES.
Many News Headlines read: “Sanctuary-City Mayors Gird for Fight as Trump Threatens Budgets.” The gist of the discussion is: “Municipalities that protect undocumented immigrants from deportation stand to lose billions in federal aid…More than 200 U.S. ‘sanctuary cities’ won’t turn over people to federal officers seeking to deport them nor share information about them, saying that would rend the social fabric and impede policing.”
There are several instances in the Old Testament where there is reference to Sanctuary Cities (Cities of Refuge). The Encyclopedia of the Bible states: “In Israel, six Levitical cities were set aside as Cities of Refuge, but only for those who killed another person accidentally. Criminals were not protected in these cities.” In Exodus 21:12-14 (NLT), God’s Law prescribed that: “Anyone who assaults and kills another person must be put to death. But if it was simply an accident…I will appoint a place of refuge where the slayer can run for safety. However, if someone deliberately kills another person, then the slayer must be dragged even from my altar and be put to death.”
There is a practical application of the use of Sanctuary as it pertains to the Biblical Christian. I Corinthians 3:16-17 (ESV) reminds us: “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.” There are words of a Worship Chorus that could be sung as a Prayer titled SANCTUARY –
Many News Headlines read: “Sanctuary-City Mayors Gird for Fight as Trump Threatens Budgets.” The gist of the discussion is: “Municipalities that protect undocumented immigrants from deportation stand to lose billions in federal aid…More than 200 U.S. ‘sanctuary cities’ won’t turn over people to federal officers seeking to deport them nor share information about them, saying that would rend the social fabric and impede policing.”
There are several instances in the Old Testament where there is reference to Sanctuary Cities (Cities of Refuge). The Encyclopedia of the Bible states: “In Israel, six Levitical cities were set aside as Cities of Refuge, but only for those who killed another person accidentally. Criminals were not protected in these cities.” In Exodus 21:12-14 (NLT), God’s Law prescribed that: “Anyone who assaults and kills another person must be put to death. But if it was simply an accident…I will appoint a place of refuge where the slayer can run for safety. However, if someone deliberately kills another person, then the slayer must be dragged even from my altar and be put to death.”
There is a practical application of the use of Sanctuary as it pertains to the Biblical Christian. I Corinthians 3:16-17 (ESV) reminds us: “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.” There are words of a Worship Chorus that could be sung as a Prayer titled SANCTUARY –
Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary
Pure and holy, tried and true
With thanksgiving, I'll be a living
Sanctuary for You.
It is you, Lord Who came to save
The heart and soul Of every man
It is you Lord Who knows my weakness
Who gives me strength, With thine own hand.
Lead me on, Lord From temptation
Purify me From within
Fill my heart with Your Holy Spirit
Take away all my sin.
Lord prepare me to be a sanctuary
Pure and holy, tried and true
With thanksgiving, I'll be a living
Sanctuary for You.
Prayerfully – Consider these things with me!
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